Mid-Hants
buys
BR 2MT
No.41312
ByGarethEvansIVATT2MT 2-6-2T No.41312 hasbeen
securedfortheWatercre ss Line after
it waspurchasedby the Mid-Hants
Railway Ltd from itsprivateowner,
John Jones.
MHRLtdchairman JohnTrigg said:
“This locomotivehas been partof
the railway formanyyears under the
ownership of John Jones.
“John wishedto sell the locomotive
but wanted it to stayonthe Mid-
Hants and gave us first refusal.John
has accommodatedusinour efforts
to findawayto finance it and has
beenvery patient.
“Although therehavebeen many
railways who wanted it ,John
reserveditf or us and the purchase
has beencompleted.Former
MD Colin Chambers’services in
gettingasatisfactory conclusion
to the purchase have also been
invaluable,ash as agrant from MHR
Preservation Society.”
MHR general manager Jason
Houlders said:“It’sapopular
locomotiveamong staff and visitors
alike.It’sgoing into Ropley works
in mid-August forbottom end
maintenance, whichwill include
attention to the valves andpistons.”The2MT becomes the second
locomotivetobeownedbyMHR Ltd
–the other being BR 5MTNo. 73096,
purchased in 2017, which is currently
storedat Ropley awaitingoverhaul.
Builtat Cr eweinMay 1952,
No.41312 spentits entireworking
career on theSouthernregio n. First
allocatedtoFaversham, it moved
to Ashfor dinJune 1959, before
relocatingto Barnstaple Junction,
whereitworkedover theTorrington
branch, putting in some appearances
on theIlfracombe and Exeter line.
Moving to Brig hton inMarch1963,
the 2-6-2T migratedtoBournemouth
in 1964, whereitworkedoverthe
Swanage andLymington branches.
No.41312performed the last
steam serviceonthe LymingtonBriggfootbridgerebuilt forsecondlifeinWensleydale
ACHANCEconversation aboarda
WensleydaleRailway train ledto aclassic
Victorianfootbridge beingrestoredto its
former glory.
Darlington-based bridge builder
Cleveland Bridge UK agreed to carry
out thework afterlearning thatthe
footbridge which isto be installedat
Leyburnstation,wasinapoor state
of repair.
Theheritagerailway acquired the
1880sfootbridge from Brigg station
in LincolnshirefromNetwork Rail last
year and had launched an appealto
fund thework.
However, Jim Mawson, Cleveland
Bridge’s head of operational delivery,
wasenjoyingatripon the volunteer-
run railway whenhe began talking
to guardand local member Ken
Monkman, whotold him about the
project.Thecompanyreadily agreed
to use itsexpertise in the bridge
building andrefurbishmentsectorto
supportthe railway.
Sections of thefootbridge’s
corroded metalworkhave been
replaced orrepairedby PrestEngineeringLtdand the structure
shot-blasted andrepaintedby
Cleveland Bridge.
Severaloft he wooden steps have
also beenreplaced.
Thebridge,originallycommissioned
by the Manchester Sheffield &
Lincolnshire(laterthe GreatCentral)
Railway,will be transportedto
Leyburnint hree sections and
installedat LeyburninSeptemberfollowing the peak visitor season.
HelenAshworth, the line’s volunteer
co-ordinatorand lead fundraiser,
said:“WensleydaleRailway is run
by volunteers andrelies on the
generosityand goodwill of local
companies and benefactors to help us
cont inue and improve.
“Cleveland Bridge UKvery kindly
agreed to restor ethis footbridge and
in doing so has preservedawonderful
pieceofr ailway heritage aswell as
providing anattractiveand practical
additionto our station inLeyburn.”
Jim said:“Cleveland Bridge is a
specialist in bridgerefurbishment
and rehabilitation and this particular
bridge is onaslightly smaller scale
than our current contra ct involving
the Humber Bridge! However, our
staff have drawnonthose same skills,
gained from morethan 150years of
engineeringexpertise,toc arry out this
restor ation –safeint he knowledge
thatthis footbridge willcont inue to
be appreciatedbypassengers using
WensleydaleRailway formanymore
years to co me.”NYMR offers
Grosmont
shedtours
THE NorthYorkshireMoors
Railway is offering publictours
of it sGrosmontmotivepower
depot on selecteddates thisyear.
Thevisit s, which must be pre-
booked,will run onAugust 9
and16; September 13 and 20;
and October 4and 25. Starti ng
at 1.30pm and lastingfora
mini mum oftwohours,the
experiencecosts£10 foradults
and£5for children aged
10-15years.
Unfortunately dueto the
working environmentoft he
site, wheelchair users,guide
dogs/assistancedogs and pets
cannot be accommodated.
Participants will also need
to wear suitable clothing
and footwear.
To book, visi twww.nymr.
co.uk or call 01751 472508.Slate freightfor
Bala minigala
THE Bala LakeRailway will be
holding itsAugustMini Gala over
the weekend ofAugust 24-26.
Subjecttoa vailability, the
line’s entir ehome locomotive
fleet will be operational,
helpingto run an intensive
passenger timetable.
Some freightservi ceswill also
run between Llanuwchlyn and
Llangowerusing slate wagons
from the line’s extensiv ehistoric
collection.Afurtherattraction
will be the‘DriverforaFiver .’Diesel appeal
THE AlnValleyRailway want sto
acquireavacuum-fitted diesel
capa ble of hauling three Mk.1
coachesup a1-in-47 incline and
will consideranything upto the
sizeofaClass 20.
Anyone who can help is
askedto email john.hurlbutt@
alnvalleyrailway.co.ukbranch inApril 1967.Thelastthree
months of its careerwerespentat
Nine Elms acting asastation shunter
forWaterloo.WithdrawnonJuly 3,
1967, itwasboughtbyWoodham
Bros scrapyard. Purchasedby the
CaerphillyRailway Societ y, it became
the 63rddeparturefromBarry in
August 1974, beforelaterbeing sold
to John Jones.Returnedto action
at Ropley in 1998,followingamove
to the MHR, the 2MTwas mainline
certified foraspell.
Four BRIvatt2MT 2-6-2Tshave
survived into preservation, and all
arecurrently operational.No. 41241
can befound at the Keighley&Worth
Valley Railway,while Nos.41298
and 41313 areatt he Isle ofWight
Steam Railway.SecuredfortheMid-Hants:BR2MT No.41312 awaitsdeparturefromRopley on
June29.Thecoac hbehindthelocomotive isBulleidBrakeS4211 No.4211, the
MHR’s accessiblecarriage.GARETHEVANSHele nAshworthinspectsthe
refurbishedfootbridgewithCleveland
BridgeUKstaffPeterRidley, Liam
Cameron,MichaelRichardson,John
WeirandGaryKipling.CBUK36 Heritagerailway.co.uk indusonwww.facebook.com/heritagerailway
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